Mechanical pencil



Sept 13, i949. L. J. MosT MECHANICAL PENCIL Filed sept. 12, 1947 INVENTOR m1/Waal? s2 l @Y 45M@ Patented Sept. 13, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,481,94 MECHANICAL Pinion;l Lucifer J. Most, MorrisCountN. j. Application september-12, 1947', sei-iai No; 'z'iasi s claims. (cl. izoicl My invention relates to mechanical pencils, and

the bj'ect thereof isA to provide a non-revoluble tip'rwith means for actuating the lead feed norm'ally operable from a turning tip, to improve the performance of the lead feed from such means in= a Iron-'revol'uble tip, to enhance the appearane of a pencil equipped with such a tip and make thi'sftypeof' atip more adaptable' to differ# ent styling of 'pencil' barrels.

Another objectA of the invention is to provide a mechanical pencil' feed mechanism' which forms a unit with' th'etip; permttingthe use of such unit with a great variety ofl barrels of any congura'- non anu-color. i

Still'lan'other objety of the' invention is to obviate the failures coml'hon with mechanical pencils having'- a revoluble tip in contrastY with a xed one`,-tlifat' isi, on-revoluble relatively tothe barrel.

Aiurther bje'ct'of'the inveliirlv ls to provide a; lfd actuating' mechanism* Carried by the tip, independent oliapen'cil barrel, and operable froml 'ngerfgrip'accessible through the lateral surfaceT openings of the tip;

rrr the appondeddrawlng forming port of this" application;

Figure l" is fragmentary elevation-ofV a tip Figure 3f is afraginentary vertical section onl Figure 4 is a cross section on lines 4 4, Figure l, and

Figure 5 is a cross section on lines 5-5, Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing, IB is a tip having a lead outlet II extending from the tip end to an inner counterbore I2. A guide I3 in the form oi a. tube slotted lengthwise through a portion of it has its lower non-slotted end entering the counterbore I2. The said counterbore leads into the smaller end of a tapered bore I4 which has openings I5 through the lateral periphery of the tip between its end I6 and II.

A driver I8 in the shape of a truncated conical sleeve is housed within the bore I4 to turn freely and its tapered periphery is knurled to provide a finger grip through the openings I5. The bore I9 of the driver I8 has a force fit with the unslotted portion of the guide I3 to couple them into a unit.

The driver I8 and the guide I3 are preassembled and placed into the tip I0 through the larger end I6 bringing the driver into the bore I4 and the lower end of the guide I3 into the counterbore Z l2,` while the slotted end of the guide projects above the driver and extends out of the tip througlit larger' end I6.

A Cunterbre 23' is formed in the end I6 of the' tip IG ab'o'v'e the larger en'd of the tapered b'o're ls: Force ntted into the oount'orboro is the larger end ofY a sleeve' 22 while the reduced end 12:5'4 of tno sleeve is made to project abovey the up end toprovide a plug. for connecting the tip' to anen'd 24"o`f a barrel 25 with a snug fit so thatvthe tip rc'wl not turn in' the' barrel. l

The` bore 2S" of the sleeve 22 has a forced t with the lower ood of o tubular helix 21, to wlnoh it is' therefore rigidly secured. The tubular helix houses therein the' Slotted guide I3 With a' freev running nt when the sleeve with the helix anchored thereto` is forced into the counterbore 2U of the tip. p

The guide I3" houses therein a; freely sliding tubular lead clutch l28, the upper Aend of which is provided yvi'tha laterally directedpin 29 passingv through the, slot I3' oi:` theguide I3 to engage the helical grooves 21 of the helix 2'I. A push barr li'ii'lw'itlflirl the'tubular lead clutch 285s mountedit'o rnove freely therein; it has'one end projecting out above the clutchrandthereat has a lateral extensi'on'I passing through the guide'slot I3' o f one., oA world entering tire helical groove 21'Y of tno jour 27. one convolution above the pio 29 ofthe lead clutch.

In n mal operati ofthe push' bai" 3Il` i's labove the lou/'er oi the ttul'or lad clutch 28l to prr'nn the o'lutoi por: tion thereat to grip the end of a lead 32 below the push bar 3U. To permit the push bar to expel the lead 32 from the clutch through the outlet I I of the tip, the lower end of the helical groove is continuous with a section of a circular groove 33, see Figure 3.

The circular groove section 33 is lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helix, and when engaging therein the pin 29 of the lead clutch 28, the clutch will not move longitudinally when the driver I8 and the guide I3 are turned, but as the pin 3! of the push bar 3U is still engaged in the helical groove 2'I, it will move longitudinally, pushing out the lead portion engaged by the clutch.

Whether the driver is coupled to the guide I3 or the helix 21, it revolves relative to the tip in which it is mounted. The entire lead actuating mechanism described is carried by the tip and is operable in the tip through the driver I8 whether connected or not to a barrel through the medium goondition, the lower end' 3 ci plug 23 of sleeve 22 forming a rigid part of the tip.

I claim:

l. A lead actuating mechanism for a mechanical pencil comprising, a tip having a lateral opening, a rotatable driver in the tip accessible through the lateral opening of the tip, a lead actuating mechanism having parts thereof coupled respectively to the driver and the tip and tip securing means for couplingit, non-rotatably to a pencil barrel end.

2. A lead actuating mechanism for a mechanical pencil comprising, a tip having lateral openings, a rotatable driver in the tip accessible through the lateral openings of the tip, a plug coupled to the tip above the driver to prevent the driver from moving longitudinally in the tip,

a lead actuating mechanism having parts thereof coupled respectively to the driver and the plug,

said plug projecting above the tip for securing the tip non-rotatably to an end of a pencil barrel.

3. A lead actuating mechanism for a mechanical pencil comprising, a tip having lateral openings, a rotatable driver in the tip accessible through the lateral openings of the tip, a plug coupled to the tip above the driver to prevent the driver from moving longitudinally in the tip, a lead actuating mechanism including a tubular helix and a tubular slotted guide coupled to the plug and driver respectively, said plug projecting above the tip to provide means for coupling the tip non-rotatably to an end of the barrel.

4. A lead actuating mechanism for a mechanical pencil comprising, a tip having a lead outlet and a tapered bore above the outlet, a truncated driver knurled on its tapered periphery revolubly mounted in the tapered bore, said tip having lateral openings giving access to the knurled surface of the driver, a plug coupled to the tip above the driver to prevent longitudinal movement of the driver in the tip and a lead guiding mechanism including a tubular helix and a tubular slotted guide coupled to the plug and driver respectively, said plug extending above the tip to connect it firmly to an end of a pencil barrel.

5. A lead actuating mechanism for a mechanical pencil comprising, a tip having a lead outlet and a tapered bore above the outlet, a truncated driver knurled on its tapered periphery revolubly mounted in the tapered bore, said tip having lateral openings giving access to the knurled surface of the driver, a plug coupled to the tip above the driver to prevent longitudinal movement of the driver in the tip, said plug having an axial opening, a tubular helix secured in the bore, and projecting out of the plug above the tip, said driver having an axial bore, a lengthwise slotted tubular guide revolubly mounted in the helix and iixed in the bore of the driver to participate in the movement of the driver, a lead clutch in the guide and a push bar in the clutch, said clutch and bar having lateral pins passing through the slot of the guide and engaging the helix, said plug extending above the tip and serving as means for connecting rmly the tip to an end of a pencil barrel.

6. A lead actuating mechanism for a mechanical pencil comprising, a tip having a lead outlet and a tapered bore above the outlet, a truncated driver knurled on its tapered periphery and revolubly mounted in the tapered bore but prevented from moving laterally, said tip having lateral openings giving access to the knurled surface of the driver for rotation thereof only, a plug coupled to the tip above the driver to prevent the driver from longitudinal movement in the tip and a lead actuating mechanism having parts thereof coupled respectively to the driver and the tip, said plug extending above the tip to connect it firmly to an end of a pencil barrel.

7. A lead actuating mechanism for a mechanical pencil comprising, a tip having a lateral opening, a rotatable driver in the tip accessible from the lateral opening of the tip for rotation only, said driver being prevented from moving in the tip either laterally or longitudinally, a lead actuating mechanism having parts thereof coupled respectively to the driver and the tip, said tip having a projection above the driver for securing the tip non-rotatably to an end of a pencil barrel.

8. A lead actuating mechanism for a mechanical pencil comprising, a tip having a lead outlet and a tapered bore above the outlet, a truncated driver knurled on its tapered periphery, revolubly mounted in the tapered bore but prevented from moving therein either laterally or longitudinally, said tip having lateral openings giving access to the knurled surface of the driver for rotation thereof only, and a lead actuating mechanism having parts thereof coupled respectively to the driver and the tip, said tip having means for connecting it rmly to an end of a pencil barrel.

LUCIFER J. MOST.

No references cited. 

